note: you should be pound of me, I basically repainted
the LCD panel and viewfinder pic pixel by pixel.

Popular Photography's ZX-M/MZ-M review (March 98)

Capability 3.5__________
Convenience 4.5_____________Features 3

Overall 4

Can a basic manual focus learner's camera also have
full automation?

____Testing the successor
to the legendary Pentax K1000 was challenging. There weren't any difficulties
checking lab findings against manufacturer's specifications or giving the
camera a good workout in the field and lab. But the ZX-M represents a rare
type of SLR that hasn't come under our test purview in recent years--a
student's or learner's camera that might also prove attractive to advanced
amateurs who hate automation, as did the K1000.

____We knew immediately that
the ZX-M wasn't suitable for snapshooters. Lacking autofocus or a built-in
flash, the ZX-M is definitely nor for them. Snapshooters would be far better
served spending about $50 more for a Pentax ZX-50 with autofocus and flash
goodies.

____And without AF or built-in,
through-lens flash measuring, we don't think the ZX-M is right for average
amateurs either. They, too, would be better off with the advanced features
of the ZX-50, ZX-10, ZX-5n orPZ-1p.

____Let's examine the ZX-M
closely and see how well it serves what we feel is an extremely important
and often neglected market--the learner or student. (We'll get to the automation
haters as well, never fear.)

____Starting with the ZX-5
and continuing through the introduction of theZX-10, ZX-50, ZX-5n, and
now ZX-M, Pentax has been rationalizing its35mmSLR production using one
polycarbonate body shell

Keeping it all in the family:ZX-M
body contours and control placement are similar to that of the ZX-5n and
all other Pentaxes in the ZX line. Convenience: first rate.

ZX-M innards same as top of line:Insides
of ZX-M, bottom, are identical to ZX-5ns, top. Removable backs also interchangeable
and accept accessory databacks.

with metal focal-plane plate into which the camera engineers
can pour more or fewer features depending on model, price, and type of
user. It's surprising other camera companies haven't used such rationalizing,
which cuts designing and engineering costs and should bring down the purchase
prices well. The ZX-M has almost all of the outer construction and much
of the innards that you get in the ZX-5n, the present top of the ZX line.

____Owners of ZX-Ms needn't
undergo the puzzlement of learning how to punch electronic button controls
as used in many other modern SLRs. The clearly marked, mechanically operated
dials of the ZX series are easily understood. Controls move smoothly and
are excellently positioned. The lightweight camera body is pleasantly handholdable
in both horizontal and vertical positions.

Is polycarbonate lensmount a detriment? While
we wouldn't recommend plastic lensmounts for professional cameras, they
hold up well on amateur models. We haven't heard a single complaint from
any of the numerous owners of other plastic-lensmount SLRs.

____Although a polycarbonate
lens mount does replace the stainless steel one used in other ZX cameras,
and the dedicated flash system is non-TTL, the major salute to cost cutting
in the ZX-M is the substitution of a pentamirror viewing system in place
of the 5n's all-glass prism. However, the pentamirror is surprisingly efficient
and, according to our tests, even brighter than the ZX-5n's finder!

____Viewfinder
brightness, clarity, and focusing ability are often more important in a
manual-focus SLR than in an autofocus camera. Owners of AF cameras generally
use the crutch of autofocus automation most of the time, ignoring the alternative
of manual focusing.

____Manual-focus-only SLR
owners are totally dependent on the viewing screen for focusing and they
often tend to be more critical in examining the picture area itself, right
to the corners.

____The ZX-M 's finder has
manual -focusing aids common to almost all pre-autofocus SLRs. To reach
focus with the central split-image rangefinder, you line up the bottom
of the split-circle image with the top. As with all good split-image rangefinders
(and the ZX-M's is that), flagpoles and trees are subjects easily aligned.
But many objects, such as faces, aren't. For them we have the ZX-M's outer
microprism collar that fractures out-of-focus images and snaps them back
into sharpness when focus is achieved.

Pertinent data on small, top-side
LCD panel: Auto and manual exposure modes, shutter- and aperture-
priority, ISO film -loading status; all can be clearly undrstood. Panel
info is almost identical to ZX-5n's!

____If you keep your eye
carefully centered in the ZX-M finder, you can focus subjects at apertures
as small as f/8 before the split-image and microprism darken too much--quite
handy if you have lenses with limited maximum openings. This is a commendable
performance since the focusing aids in many SLRs don't operate below f/5.6
The area outside the ZX-M microprism provides fine screen focusing right
to the edges and corners--far snappier than the manual focusing in many
autofocusing SLRs. And we were pleased with the easy-to-operate electronic
depth-of-field preview-- a feature we think essential in any learner's
or student's camera.

____In ZX tradition, a black
information panel protrudes into the right-hand side of the viewing area.
Why not has an information panel completely outside the picture area? Because
the inside location makes it easier for eyeglass wearers to see and also
provides more room for finder magnification. Panel information is almost
identical to ZX-5n's except that it lacks an autofocusing signal.

____High marks go to the
panel's excellent bar graph for manual-exposure-mode metering. While almost
all other manual-focus SLRs use primitive red-green-red, three-diode metering
systems in the finder to indicate correct exposure (green) and about 1EV
error (red) on either side, the ZX-M offers a +_3EV scale with one-half
EV indicators for more precise exposure control. Thanks to the protruding
scale, metered manual settings are easy to see and control.

____But what exactly are
you measuring with ZX-M's metering system? We were a little upset to find
the camera used evaluative metering. With evaluative metering, the camera
makes judicious exposure alterations depending on the illumination within
the entire area. But a learner needs to be able to make his own specific
camera settings without camera interference. However, the evaluative metering
sensor at the back of the ZX-M's pentamirror has only two segments-- a
central area and surrounding area. We found the system acted much like
a centerweighted meter-- except in some instances where it did compensate
slightly for some unusual lighting conditions away from the measured center
area. The camera does switch to centerweighted if a lens without electronic
contacts is fitted (see lensmounts info, facing page).

Pentax ZX-M's EVALUATIVE METERING

ZX-M's CENTERWEIGHTED METERING

Much like centerweighted metering:ZX-M's
evaluative meter has two sensor segments for the center and outer area.
These areas are measured separately, then analyzed together and used by
the camera to calculate the right exposure level.

centerweighted metering pattern is biased for horizontal subjects,
with a large non-metering band across top. This works well with horizontal
shots and probably will not affect metering accuracy when camera is help
vertically.

____The evaluative metering
system produced a large percentage of well-exposed slides when metered
from camera position, though we believe users will get an even better percentage
marking close up readings of important pictures areas and determining exposures
on their own-- the right approach for students and other learners.

____We wish Pentax had included
spot metering in the ZX-M. It's a useful learning tool and the evaluative
meter's center segment alone might well serve as a spot meter.

____Should the camera have
had TTL flash metering? If convenience is the criterion, yes. Is TTL flash
metering essential in a learning-tool camera? No. Learners will understand
flash and distance ranges far better if they use numbers to manually set
the proper apertures or use non-TTL automatic flash units.

____With flash units dedicated
to Pentax cameras, the finder will provide a flash-ready signal, and in
many Pentax-dedicated flash units, the camera's flash sync speed will be
set automatically.

____While the ZX-M has neither
a flash nor TTL flash-measuring built-in, much other exposure automation
plus auto film handling is-excellent features that may however be shocking
and (perhaps) near anathema for die-hard, do-it-yourself K1000 enthusiasts.
This includes non-shiftable program, aperture- and shutter-priority autoexposure,
autoexposure compensation, auto DX film setting, autoloading of film, autowind,
and autorewind.

No built-in or TTL flash, but...hot
shoe is dedicated, will provide flash-ready signal and proper flash sync
with many dedicated manual or non-TTL autoflash units.

____Why add all of this?
Because a camera with features solely for learners and students might not
be sufficiently salable. And there is another large group of prospective
purchasers-- those who scorn autofocus but do want all the benefits of
exposure automation. So the ZX-M's exposure automation modes may well entice
them. Additionally, even learners and students might wish to have a go
at exposure automation and perhaps shoot some snapshots in program mode--
manually focused, of course.

____While we can appreciate
the pioneering spirit of photographers who for years have manually set
their exposure indexes, loaded, wound, and rewound their cameras by hand,
as in the K1000, we don't believe the ZX-M's automating of all these features
is detrimental to photography. Picture-taking ability does not improve
by manually inserting the film leader into the take up spool slot, remembering
to set the ISO properly, and cranking the film through the camera by hand.

TEST RESULT FROM OUR LABViewfinder:very
bright and contrasty. Brightness lose only 1.7 stops, less than any other
Pentax SLR recently tested. 0.77X magnification is good, screen image is
90% of picture area.Time between pushing the
release button and exposure: 190 ms, normal
for this class.Shutter speed: extremely
accurate from 2 to 1/250 sec; provides less than 10% overexposure from
1/500 to 1/2000 sec.

____Many of us will always
delight in admiring and cradling the angular contours of the comparatively
heavy, metal-bodied K1000 and listening to the clockwork of its mechanical
shutter. But the ZX-M does have it allover the K1000-- and over and other
moderately priced, manual-focusing camera of any other makes as well--
in providing consistent shutter and exposure accuracy, satisfying the needs
of the photo-learning curve, convenience, and swift operation.

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT PENTAX LENSMOUNTS

The Pentax ZX-M can be fitted with an amazing number of different models
and brands of K-mount lenses, incluing Pentax AF lenses that can then be
used in manual-focus modes, information seen in the viewfinder, as well
as exposure metering patterns do vary with different lens models. Here's
a quick rundown:

Manual focusing Pentax A and other brand lenses
in Pentax mount: lenses with one or more electronic contacts at
rear. Aperture and shutter speeds visible in all modes except no finder
apertures in aperture-priority autoexposure. Read aperture from scale on
lens itself. Evaluative metering.

Make sure you have the right
contact:Manual -focus Pentax-mount
must have at least one rear electronic contact to provide ZX-M finder apertire
info and evaluative metering. This is back contact of 50mm f/2 Pentax-A
lens usually found on K1000.

Manual-focusing Pentax and other brands with no
electronic contacts: Aperture-priority and metered-manual modes
only; apertures never visible in finder. You must read from lens. Centerweighted
metering.

Pentax and other brands of autofocusing Pentax-mount
lenses: Aperture and shutter speeds visible in all modes. Evaluative
metering.

Editors' choice: AF Pentax lenses give
you all modes and info, but are more expensive than manual-focus lenses.
Still, if you plan to buy an AF Pentax and you can get a good buy on AF
lenses, that might be the way to go.

Camera Dimensions

Key

inches

mm

width

W

5 5/16

135

height

H

3 9/16

91

depth

D

2 1/8

54

depth w/ lens

DL

4 5/8

117

WEIGHT
oz gramsbody (w/batteries)
11 7/16 324

35-80mm f4-5.6
6 1/2 184

____There's
a Pop Photo's "First
Look"of ZX-M in their Januray 1998 issue. It's really nothing
new there, but you can read it if you are interested in Pop Photo's format.
The camera was offically introduced in Oct 97's Photokina.

.

.

@all rights reserve to Pop Photo (or whatever.) I type
this just for those people who can't find the review from their local library.
Nobody wants to make money from it. ______-Ye